Works on American Slavery

Paper Summary:

The paper examines Ulrich Bonnell Phillips' "American Negro Slavery",
Stanley M. Elkins' "Slavery: A Problem in American Institutional and Intellectual Life", John W. Blassingame's "The Slave Community" and Nell Irvin Painter's "Soul Murder and Slavery". The paper critically analyzes these works and totally discredits Phillips' work while highlighting the strengths and weaknesses in Elkins' and Painter's works. The paper concludes that Blassingame's work seems to be the most interesting, well-researched and factual account of slave life.

From the Paper:

"The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the topic of American slavery. Specifically it will contain a historiography on four works written by four different authors. Each of these works depicts a time and place in the history of American slavery, and each makes unique and valid points regarding this "peculiar" institution. Each of them uses strong research and writing to make their points, but their points differ greatly and indicate how different people can view the diverse aspects of slavery in far different ways. In the end, John W. Blassingame's work seems to be the most interesting, well-researched, and factual account of slave life, it creates a balanced view of the community of slaves and how important that community was to their overall survival."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Blassingame, John W. The Slave Community: Plantation Life in the Antebellum South. New York: Oxford University Press, 1977.
• Editors. "Nell Irvin Painter." Nell Painter.com. 2008. 12 May 2008.<http://www.nellpainter.com/>
• Editors. "Stanley Elkins." Smith College. 2004. 12 May 2008.<http://www.smith.edu/history/fac_selkins.htm>
• Editors. "Ulrich Bonnell Phillips." Encyclopedia.com. 2008. 12 May 2008.<http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-PhllpsUB.html>
• Elkins, Stanley M. Slavery: A Problem in American Institutional and Intellectual Life. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 81-139.

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